Online Roadway Geometry Design Software Tool for Transportation Education and Training

Liao and Levinson 2 Traditionally, transportation engineering students use pencil and ruler to lay out lines and curves over contour maps for roadway geometry design. Numerous calculations of stopping sight distance, minimum turning radius, and curve alignments are required during the design process to ensure safety, to minimize economic and environmental impact, and to reduce construction costs. Students usually perform iterative computations manually during the design process to meet design criteria and environmental constraints. The traditional process of roadway geometry design is cumbersome and time consuming. The traditional approach limits students from taking a broader perspective in the overall roadway geometry design process. An Internet-based roadway design tool (ROAD: Roadway Online Application for Design) was developed to enhance the learning experience for transportation engineering students. This tool allows students to design the roadway efficiently and to modify the design easily within given economic and environmental parameters. A 3-Dimensional (3D) roadway geometry model can be generated by the software at final design to allow students to place themselves in the driver’s seat and maneuver through the designed roadway at maximum design speed. This roadway geometry design tool was introduced and deployed in a civil engineering undergraduate class in 2006 and 2007 at the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota. The valu